Would you vacinate your primary school kid for Chicken pox if he/she hasn't caught it yet?

1) Hi parents, is it true that everyone of us must have Chicken pox at least once? I dun remember having it and no one could confirm whether I have it or not (My parents passed away when I was 6yo)

Secondly, would you vacinate your child? My son is now in P1. He has HFMD before in K1 but not Chicken pox. This question resurfaces again recently with all the talk about HFMD and viral infection on the rise and possibilty of viral epidemic etc.

I understand that the older you catch it, the more serious it will be, not to mention the disruption in school (eg exam time?) plus he is G6PD. With the vac, it will lower the seriousness of the effects or just shingles. But I also know we are injecting the virus to time the body to create the antibodies rather than catching it naturally. Gone are the days when we don't question whatever that comes from the doctors, nowadays parents are more informed. But with more info, we also have to make hard decisions. What's your take?

The chicken pox vaccine is not full proof, i.e, it does not totally ensure that our child will not catch chicken pox. However, the impact is alot milder and the suffering is lesser so it is still worthwhile taking the shot.

My hubby had no vaccine and caught it during his army days. Those were the most horrible days of his life and he needed to be hospitalised for many days and suffering was bad because the outbreak was terrible. It left some bad scars on his back until today.

ks2me is right. I think it is good to take the jab because it is very contagious and can be quite disruptive if your kid gets it during school term. Moreover, if you believe in what the old folks say, there are a million things that need to abstain from eating.

My younger boy got it last year when he was in K1 and passed it to the older one who was in P2. And he had to be grounded for 2 weeks just before his final year exams....

Thanks ks2me and Jesschan.
Indeed I know it's no joke to catch it even for adults. I guess I'm most likely sending him for it, now the question is if I should also vacinate since the chance of getting it from him as a caregiver is very much minimised?
Does that mean that as long as other members in the family have not had Chicken pox before, high chance they will also catch it if one family member has it?

mum2one wrote:Thanks ks2me and Jesschan.Indeed I know it's no joke to catch it even for adults. I guess I'm most likely sending him for it, now the question is if I should also vacinate since the chance of getting it from him as a caregiver is very much minimised?Does that mean that as long as other members in the family have not had Chicken pox before, high chance they will also catch it if one family member has it?

Dear Mum2one,

This is a airborne and contagious. My doc told me it is good for the kid to inject. If the immune system is strong, the kid will never get infected even mixing with a infected kid. If the immune system is weaker, the kid will have mild outbreak. Some after the injection, will automatically have some outbreak. I was so surprised when my doc told me.

You can always call up your GP or KK hospital to ask for details about this jab.

mum2one wrote: now the question is if I should also vacinate since the chance of getting it from him as a caregiver is very much minimised?

when i was pregnant with my ds2, my ds1 was suspected of being infected with chicken pox. imagine my stress....the stress that i couldn't be with my ds1 if he really did contracted chicken pox for fear of being infected (me and the ds2 in my tummy).
so as soon as my confinement is over, i went with my ds1 for chicken pox jab.

We had the jab for our DD before she went to K1, if I remember correctly. It was available and our DD isn't terrified of injections, plus the price was okay, so we got it done.

Yes, not 100% guaranteed cos no vaccine is. I think my DH had chicken pox before he met me. I had it when I was 19 but it was very, very mild. Since the "dots" were mostly on my face and back, you wouldn't even know I had chicken pox. Maybe just a bad pimple outbreak. I spent a very boring 2 weeks at home. I think my sis is naturally immune cos she didn't get it when I did, and she didn't take the jab.

I'm just glad that our DD took the jab cos my mom had shingles recently, and at her age, recovery was slow and very painful. She had to take a variety of painkillers. (And our DD and my sis didn't catch it too. *touch wood*)

san76 wrote:[ Some after the injection, will automatically have some outbreak. I was so surprised when my doc told me.

Huh?!! that's indeed surprising. it makes me drag my feet even more now

Yes, all your sharing goes to show there's no doubt to take the jab for the kid, but, but .. for me, maybe .. I have the immunity?... gosh! I admit I just hate the thot of injecting things/virus into my body and upset it for no reason period